Ä Area: Magick Echo ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
Msg#: 548 Date: 10-07-96 10:09
From: Karl Lembke Read: Yes Replied: No
To: All Mark:
Subj: [1/2] Knot Magic
ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
>>> Part 1 of 2...
The original German text of this article was generously
sent to me by Gardenstone. At long last, here is my
translation of it.
Enjoy!
Knot Magic
by
Nicholas Hall
(From the book: Chaos & Hexenzauber, Bohmeier Verlag, 1993, ISBN
3-89094-266-0)
(Translated by Karl Lembke)
[Comments by the translator will be in square brackets like
this.]
[This is probably not the best translation in the world. It is
far from the worst. I believe I have captured the general sense
in every case, if not the precise phrasing of each word.]
The origins of knot magic and cord magic are not clear. Knot
magick has been practiced in various ways as part of an overall
system of magic in northern european lands.
It appears that there was both a craft of knot making and one
other important factor. The knots were bound with a magic
(spoken) charm, that had to be uttered. [In each case, I've
provided both the German original and my fairly liberal
translation. When translating, I have made it a higher priority
to preserve the rhyme and meter than to adhere to the precise
meaning of every word.]
The first example of knot magic will show how one can bind (or
banish) various illnesses such as the flu or bad colds into the
knots, thus healing them. One can apply this charm for oneself
or for a sick friend.
In preparation, take a cord about 8 inches (20 centimeters) long
and mark it six times with chalk to divide it into seven equal
lengths. Lay it down in front of you and begin humming (droning,
buzzing and/or chanting) to still your spirit. [In other words,
ground and center.] When you feel ready, recite the following
incantation six times. With each repetition, tie a knot on each
spot where you've made a chalk mark.
Keiner will Dich hier, Krankheit.
Zum Verschwinden wird es Zeit.
In diese Knoten schwebe,
durch die Worte die ich webe.
(Sickness, no one bids you stay.
It's time for you to fade away.
Into these knots I bid you leave.
By these words which I do weave.)
After you have recited these incantations, you should have six
knots in your cord. Now take it and throw it in a container
filled with salt. Then write the incantation on a piece of paper
and use it to seal the container. The incantation will now begin
the process of healing the body and restoring strength to the
spirit. Six knots are tied because six is the number of the sun,
to which is ascribed regenerative power. Incantations were often
recited in a rhythmic fashion to induce a trance-like state,
which aids in these sendings.
[Six is the number of the sun in qabalistic lore. In other
systems, the sun has been assigned various other numbers, with
one being the most popular. Presumably, spells intended to
invoke the power of other planets would use the qabalistic
numbers assigned to those planets, e.g., nine for the moon, three
for saturn, and so on.]
In the following spell, the practitioner will be tying only one
knot. Use the same length of cord as before. This spell is
used to sow dischord between two friends. Again, take a cord and
make a chalkmark in the middle. Place it in front of you and
visualize the two people embroiled in a heated argument. As soon
as the visualization begins to fade, recite the following chant:
Ich werd' diesen Knoten binden.
Euer Freundschaft wird verschwinden.
Nur noch Zwietracht werdet ihr seh'n
und wutend auseinander geh'n.
Nichts kann helfen, ihr bleibt euch bose,
bis ich den geknoteten Schwanz wieder lose.
(I tie this knot by mine own hand.
Your friendship will disappear.
Nothing but dischord will you see,
And in fury your separate ways you'll go.
Nothing can help you still your rage,
Until I untie this knot again.)
When you have uttered the last word, tie the knot. The last line
refers to the twisted tail of an animal or the intricate plot of
>>> Continued to next message...
___
X Blue Wave/QWK v2.20 [NR] X
-!- Maximus 3.00
! Origin: Mysteria * Be ye mystic * 818-353-8891 (1:102/943)
Ä Area: Magick Echo ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
Msg#: 549 Date: 10-07-96 10:09
From: Karl Lembke Read: Yes Replied: No
To: All Mark:
Subj: [2/2] Knot Magic
ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
>>> Part 2 of 2...
a novel. [A twisted tale, perhaps?]
[I don't use curses myself unless they're very, very, very well
deserved. I also am reluctant to release curses into a forum
where anyone can read them and try them out. But then I'm also
reluctant to lie about the contents of a document that I'm
purporting to be rendering an honest translation of. Please
regard this above example as a curiousity only.]
The following separate aspect of knot magic shows one how you can
break a major curse on yourself. Before you attempt this, you
must first know something of the nature of the curse and how it
was formulated. To find this out, you can carry out a
divination. If your suspicions are correct, and the divination
confirms your fears and give you hints as to how the curse was
formulated, then you are not paranoid. A useful divination
method for this case is throwing three runes out of a bag. If
the divination confirms that you are cursed, then you can
proceed. This incantation is so conceived that it combats a
witch's bottle, used to make you fall seriously ill.
[There are two kinds of spell called a "witch's bottle". In one,
pins, nails and other small bits of iron are placed, and then the
whole bottle is buried at the doorstep to block evil and adverse
magic. The other kind of witches bottle contains a knotted
string which is buried in a lonely place, where the string will
rot. The bottle referred to is the second kind.]
Take a piece of string and bury it for three days. This imitates
the burial of the bottle and the battle to unearth the bottle.
When you have the string out of the earth, hold it before you and
place a bottle on the floor. Then recite the following:
Du, der einen Fluch in der Erde vergrub,
um mich krank zu machen, Du boser Bub.
Doch einen Knoten in diese Schnur gemacht,
Und deine Muhe war Umsonst gemacht.
A curse on me you buried deep,
To make me sick, you evil creep.
I place a knot into this twine,
And so your work was worked in vain!
[I guess part of the magic depends on the ability to utter line
two with a straight face.]
On reciting the last word of the incantation, make a single knot
in the string and shatter the bottle with your foot. The curse
will then be released
The above examples of knot magic and associated incantations give
only a brief glimpse of the possibilities of this type of magic.
Generously copied and sent by Guus Goos (Internet:
guus.goos@boudicca.robin.de)
Translated by Karl Lembke
... Throw the salt and shout "Go away bad things!"
___
X Blue Wave/QWK v2.20 [NR] X
-!- Maximus 3.00
! Origin: Mysteria * Be ye mystic * 818-353-8891 (1:102/943)